


can i try again?

by lesbianenderman (eghed)



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Jupeter Week, M/M, Reunions, gas station hot dogs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-07-03 08:22:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15815112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eghed/pseuds/lesbianenderman
Summary: He’s buying ramen and caffeinated soda at his local corner store when he sees Nureyev, dressed to the nines as always, gazing thoughtfully over the rotating hot dogs.Juno nearly drops his pop.





	can i try again?

**Author's Note:**

> title is from mitski’s ‘pink in the night’

It’s less monumental then Juno had always thought it would be. 

He’s buying ramen and caffeinated soda at his local corner store when he sees Nureyev, dressed to the nines as always, gazing thoughtfully over the rotating hot dogs. 

Juno nearly drops his pop. 

He can’t breathe. He can’t move, he can’t think, he can’t see. He’s got tunnel vision on Nureyev’s sharp, skinny eyebrows and his hooked nose and his pursed glossy lips and the moles under his eye. He looks so utterly disinterested and so unemotional that Juno barely believes it’s him; usually, his eyes are dancing around the room and his mouth is twinged in a way that shows his thoughts, if you know him well enough. 

Maybe Juno just doesn’t. Not anymore. 

With a huff, the suit-clad man plucks a cheesy hot dog from the display and places it on a napkin. He considers the hot dog, held in his claw-like hands, and proceeds to check out. Juno can only stare as he hands the cashier a five-cred piece, nods distantly and steps out the door. 

His grip slips off of the soda and he doesn’t stop to hear it fizzle and explode ass he books it out the door. 

“N-Nureyev!?” Juno shouts, turning to see that the thief has propped himself against the brick of the building, one leg up and one leg down. He glances at the detective, and if he feels anything, he doesn’t show it. 

“Detective Steel. Fancy meeting you here.” He takes a bite of his hot dog, staring Juno directly in the face. Not in his eyes, though. 

“You—“ Juno pauses to rub a hand down his face and catch his breath. “Why are you on Mars?” Nureyev doesn’t answer right away because he’s chewing. When he swallows, he waits a moment more. 

“Why are you?” 

Okay. Maybe he deserved that one. 

“Nureyev, I—you have to understand, I just didn’t want—“

“Me? Yeah, I heard that part loud and clear.” Nureyev’s leg is off the wall now, and his hands are in his pockets. Juno wonders how they can fit in there, with all he carries in them. 

Or perhaps he doesn’t, anymore. 

“That’s not true. N—Peter. Please tell me you know that’s not true.” 

He looks taken aback for a moment, hearing his name after who knows how long, but he quickly replaces it with a scowl that doesn’t suit his features. “How could I know? Juno, you left me. What did you expect me to think?” 

Juno falters. His breathing has gone from nonexistent to heavy, and his heart is pounding in his ears. He takes a steadying breath. 

“I only left because I didn’t want you to get hurt. Because I—I’ve never felt this strongly about someone before, but anyone who’s even gotten close is either dead or far, far away from me by now.” 

Suddenly, Peter is inches from him. He’s raised his hands like he was going to grab Juno’s collar, or his shoulders, or god, please, anything, but he quickly pulls them away.

“How could you think, for even a second, that I would ever. Leave you.” It isn’t a question. His hands are shaking. “Do you know how many nights I haven’t slept, turning over what happened and trying to find what I did wrong? What drove you away?”

“It could never be you,” Juno says, and it’s barely a whisper. “I’m not worth it, Peter, I haven’t done one thing to deserve you.” 

Peter tenses up, and then exhales hard. He’s quiet, just for a moment, and Juno risks a glance at his face. His eyes are tinged red and his eyebrows are furrowed. His mouth is slightly parted, like he’s preparing to speak. Evidently, he isn’t, because he leans in and places a closed-mouth kiss on Juno’ lips.

It’s short, dry and a little aggressive, but Juno melts into it all the same. He practically falls into Peter’s arms, and when their lips part he buries his face in Peter’s neck. It smells the same. He realizes he’s crying. 

“I’m sorry,” He manages, however muffled. Peter brings a hand up to his hair and just holds. 

“I should hope so,” he says, but there’s no malice in his tone. It’s the same gentle, dancing tone he remembers. He sobs a little. 

“Your suit will get wet,” he points out. Peter chuckles and curls a strand of hair around his finger. 

“I don’t mind. I’m just glad I’ve got you again.” Juno laughs wetly. Then, Peter pulls away and places his hands on Juno’s shoulders. He looks at Juno right in his eyes, and gulps. “But I need to know if we’re keeping it that way.” 

Juno wilts and looks down. “I... I don’t think I can leave Mars.” Peter sighs, and Juno scrambles for his words. “But I know I can’t leave you, either.”

Peter pulls him back in and holds him against his chest. “We’ll work something out.” He murmurs into Juno’s hair. Juno smiles. 

“Yeah,” he sighs, “we will.”


End file.
